


Dragonrise

by MinWin



Category: Original Work
Genre: Dragons, F/F, F/M, LGBT, M/M, Magic, every character is lgbt until proven otherwise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:27:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26117191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinWin/pseuds/MinWin
Summary: "I don't know if I can guarantee you'll live, but I want to do everything I possibly can.""Will you kill me if I refuse to go with you?""It may not be by my hand, but one of us will.""I may die anyway if I go with you.""Yes."After a long moment, she finally faced him. "Then...I'll go."Iristandita Cantrell is attending Brightfire, a school historically famous for training the Imperial Dragons in the time before the Dark War. There, she meets the three Dragons - the only survivors of the near extinction of human-dragon hybrids, reincarnated every lifetime. Soon after befriending them, Iris discovers that she is the forbidden fourth Dragon - the Dark Princess, reborn. As if that wasn't enough, it seems the faction that grew in the Dark Princess's wake is also trying to claim her...or take her life.
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

Long ago, there were two kinds of people living within the empire of Erathé. There were beings of light, and beings of darkness. They coexisted for many generations, until finally, one Shade rose up, seeking power and domination over the beings of Light.

This Dark Princess rallied her forces, waging war and sowing discord wherever she went. It was a brutal fight, but finally the Imperial Dragons and soldiers managed to subdue her and her army.

But it was not without sacrifice. The once-rich culture of the Dragons was all but destroyed, surviving only through the three remaining Dragons. To preserve Dragonkind, their souls are reborn every generation, living to serve and protect the kingdom from any Dark threat that may seek to destroy it once more.

However... though the Dark Army lost the war, they've never lost hope. Living in the shadows, the cult known as the Dark Ensemble waits patiently for the day that cracks in the empire's armor will appear. They believe their princess will one day return to them, bringing with her the power to subjugate the Light once and for all.

~0~0~0~0~0~

**Chapter 1**

Iristandita gazed up at the gates of Brightfire. It was a big school. She'd toured the campus a couple times during her last years of public schooling, but now she was officially a student of her dream school.

Behind her she pulled a small suitcase, on her back she carried her backpack, and under her arm she held a duffel bag full of what hadn't fit in her suitcase. It was a little heavier than she originally intended, mostly due to her finding new things to bring along.

Her cousin Jared had offered to help her move in, but she had turned him down, insisting that his duties as a knight were far more important. She would have appreciated the help, but she knew that if she wanted to be a knight as well, she had to prioritize a knight's duties over everything else.

She had just crossed the threshold of the gates when someone appeared beside her. She turned to look at him and nearly froze. He was tall, and had unruly blond curls. His bright green eyes sparkled at her as he smiled. She felt her heart beat a little faster in her chest.

"Do you need any help with those bags?" he asked. "Here, I can take one. It's no trouble to me."

"Ah - I can carry it on my own, but thank you."

"Are you sure? It's really no trouble."

Iris looked at his outstretched hand. Eventually, she relinquished her duffel. "Thank you."

"No problem. My name's Ethan, by the way," he said, holding his hand out to her.

Iris shook it, a silly grin slowly creeping onto her face. "Iris," she said. "Do you go here?"

Ethan smiled. "I've been going here a while, but today's technically my first day. The Dragons traditionally all have to have at least five years of preliminary training before they can officially attend Brightfire, but there are no other schools for Dragons anymore. The three of us have been learning here for the past five years, but this is our first day of attendance as official students of Brightfire. Exciting, isn't it?"

Iris could feel her jaw drop a little, but she didn't stop it. Sure, she'd known she would cross paths with the Dragons if they were all going to the same school, but to be talking to one as easily as though they were old friends? Not to mention, finding out one of them would be so handsome...

An icy voice cut through Iris's thoughts. "Ethan," he said, "we're not here to be pack mules to the new students."

Iris turned to see another student striding toward them. His hair was black and every bit as unruly as Ethan's. Iris thought with a start that underneath his bangs she saw fiery red-and-orange eyes, but when he pushed his hair back, she saw that they were only a light brown.

He came to a stop in front of them - _also tall_ , Iris mentally noted with an inward sigh as she noted that he stood about a full head taller. He grabbed Iris's duffel from Ethan and held it out to her. "If she packed it, she can carry it on her own."

She took it, but quite scowling, but close. "I _can_ carry it on my own," she protested. "Ethan just-"

"All the new students are to head to the auditorium," the boy interrupted. "I suggest you make your way there.

 _Rude!_ Iris shouted in her head, but she walked past him anyway. She heard Ethan talking in a low voice after a few steps, and she hung her head and walked faster. She had the sneaking suspicion he was talking about her, and she didn't want to stick around to hear it.

~0~0~0~0~0~

Iris made her way to the auditorium of the main building. Being sure to follow the signs, she eventually found the doors to the large room. 

"Oh! Miss, please leave your luggage at the bag check," a voice to her right said. She turned to see a man standing at a counter, gesturing her over. "You can take your backpack with you, but it would be too crowded if the students all took their luggage in with them."

"That makes a certain amount of sense," Iris said as she handed her duffel and suitcase to the man. He handed her a ticket with a number on it.

"Just bring that back here after the assembly and you'll be good to go," he said with a smile. "Have a nice day!"

"Thank you," Iris said, pocketing the ticket. She turned and entered the large double doors.

Immediately she saw that there was a great deal of people, though that was to be expected. Brightfire was a large, and popular, school. She walked forward down the long steps, casting her gaze over the rows for an empty seat. Finally she came to the front, where she saw an empty seat off to the side. She made her way down to it.

Next to her sat two girls who were already chatting. As she sank into the seat, they both turned to her.

"Hello!" the girl closest to her said. She had blonde curls, grey eyes, and a bright smile. "You're a first-year here too?"

"I am," she replied. "My name's Iris; what's yours?"

"I'm Nadia. This is June," she said, gesturing to the girl sat beside her. While Nadia had a petite frame, June appeared to be much taller. She had long hair dyed a bright aquamarine, with eyes just as bright to match. June's hand was on Nadia's arm, and Iris wondered idly if they had known each other prior to this.

"It's nice to meet you," June said. "Are you hoping to become a soldier? I personally came here just to study magery and healing magic, but most other people I've talked to have said they have their sights set on the military."

"Knight, actually, but yeah," Iris said, puffing her chest out a little. "My cousin trained to be a knight here as well. I want to follow in his footsteps, and I want to make this country, and maybe even the world, a better place."

"What's the difference between a knight and a soldier, anyway? I thought they were synonymous," Nadia asked.

"Knights tend to have more specialized duties. While soldiers fight in wars, knights keep order and keep people safe back at home. They also get sent on special missions more often," Iris said, smiling at the idea of traveling to different provinces. "Knights tend to have more duties than soldiers. They tend to rank higher, too, but that's not important to me. I just want to do my part."

"That's admirable," June said, smiling. Nadia opened her mouth to add something, but a sudden hush fell over the auditorium as the director of the school walked onto the stage.

She was a middle-aged woman, with a friendly face and frizzy greying hair. She was dressed informally, in a red flannel on top of dark blue jeans, but the air she carried herself with was nothing if not completely professional.

"It's wonderful to see you all here," the director of the school said. She smiled out at everyone. "My name is Moira Claire d'Lorine. It's always so wonderful to see so many incoming students. I'm sure most of you know the rich history of our dear academy by now, but in case you don't, I'll break it down for you..."

Iris tuned out Director d'Lorine's words. She'd heard the academy's history several times over the course of the tours she'd taken the last couple of years, so she knew she wasn't missing that much. The school used to train Imperial Dragons, but then the Shades rose up and started the Dark War, which led to there only being three Dragons left in existence, and so on and so forth.

After a while, though, Director d'Lorine gestured to some people just offstage, and out walked Ethan, the rude boy, and another boy Iris hadn't met yet.

"And these, I'm proud to say, are our dear Dragons!" Each of them took a bow. "They'll be attending school here at the same time as you, so be sure to treat them well." They took a seat near the podium, listening to the rest of Director d'Lorine's speech along with all the other first years.

Director d'Lorine went on to talk about the more practical things, such as where to find certain offices, how to find classes, dining hall hours and residence hall visiting hours, and so on and so forth. She closed with instructions on where to pick up schedules, dorm room assignments if they hadn't gotten them already, and other vital information, after which she turned them all loose.

Iris remained seated, waiting for the auditorium to clear out a little before she tried to make her way out. Nadia and June waited with her, chatting between themselves. Iris still wasn't sure if this was the first time they had met. Eventually, the crowd at the door thinned out a little and Iris made her way out of the auditorium, no longer needing to fight her way through the throng to do so. She presented her ticket at the bag check, grabbed her suitcase and duffel, and set off.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a few days after the orientation. The days had been filled with different events to help students adjust to managing their own time and get used to campus life, and now was the final day before classes started.

Iris found out that she'd been assigned to a suite-style dorm, one made for four people, though her room was only inhabited by three. Her two roommates turned out to be none other than June and Nadia, who Iris had since found out had been friends for several years. They got along really well, and they told Iris that she could take the solo room if she wanted.

Not much one for sharing space quite so intimately, Iris had readily agreed.

The dorm room was a nice setup. It consisted of a kitchen area, a common area, a bathroom, and two bedrooms that held two beds each. Nadia and June shared the room closest to the kitchen, while Iris got the room closest to the bathroom.

Their room was on the first floor - technically not the ground floor, but since the dorm was set into a hill, the bedroom windows were only about four feet above the ground. She'd already seen other students on their floor going in and out of their rooms through their windows. Personally, she found it to be a little bit of a safety hazard - if she didn't lock her windows, there was no telling who might get into her room.

Iris decided to spend her last day before classes in the garden. It was a small, quiet affair. She'd never been inside it on any of her tours of the campus, likely since it was tucked away into a lonely corner, but she'd always thought it must be a beautiful expanse of nature. It was full of trees and even had a small pond in the center of it. She sat on a boulder at the water's edge, dangling her bare feet and allowing her toes to touch the water. It was a serene setting.

After a while, she hopped off the boulder and put her shoes back on. She wanted to explore other parts of the garden. There seemed to be an area that might have been an orchard. She could identify a couple of apple trees, but there were others that seemed to be past season, and she couldn't identify them without seeing the fruit. She climbed the trunk of a particularly gnarled tree and relaxed on the branches, gazing down at the grass and leaves below.

"You're not supposed to climb the trees in here, you know," a voice said.

Iris jumped, startled, and felt herself overbalance on the branch. She grabbed it to try to steady herself, but she had tipped too far. The moment before she fell, however, she heard the voice yell a word in another language, and suddenly she was frozen. She heard a few footsteps crunching over fallen leaves, then hands supporting her. In the next moment she unfroze, but thanks to the stranger's help, she didn't fall. She climbed back onto the branch and shimmied her way back down the trunk.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize," she said as she touched down. She dusted herself off and looked up.

In front of her stood one of the Dragons. He was the third one that she hadn't met prior to the orientation. She couldn't remember if she'd heard his name or not. He was a little shorter than the others, though - he probably only had a couple of inches over Iris.

He gave her a reassuring smile. "It's alright, most people don't realize. The rules are posted on the sign at the front of the garden, but it's so faded it's hard to make out. Are you alright, though? I'm sorry for using that spell on you without asking. It looked like it would have been an unpleasant fall otherwise."

"Oh, I'm fine! I'm glad you did. Knowing my luck I would have sprained a wrist or something. About the rules, I'll be sure to read them carefully before I leave today," Iris promised. "Do a lot of people come here?"

"Not that I've seen," he said. "I've only seen a couple other people come here, but you're the first one I've seen this year. Do you like it?"

"I do," Iris said. "It's serene and calming. I almost wish I could just stay here."

The Dragon laughed. "I know how you feel. Some nights I actually do come out here, and just fall asleep listening to the sounds of nature. It's relaxing."

"Maybe I should try that at some point," she joked.

He smiled. "Keep out of trouble," he said, turning to leave. "Enjoy the garden."

As he passed out of sight behind a thick grove of trees, Iris cursed herself for forgetting to ask his name.

~0~0~0~0~0~

Iris returned to her dorm room about an hour later. The garden truly had almost a hypnotizing effect. When she walked in to the dorm, Nadia and June were in the common area, playing a card game. They looked up as Iris walked in.

"Oh, there was some mail for you, Iris," June said. "I left it on your bed; I hope you don't mind."

"Thanks," she said, making her way to her room. On her bed was indeed a letter, and Iris immediately recognized from the handwriting that it was a letter from her aunt.

Smiling, Iris sat on her bed and opened the letter.

" _Dear Iris, I hope this letter finds you in good spirits. I wanted to congratulate you on making it into Brightfire! Well, congratulate you again. I know I've said it countless times already. Now you're actually attending! Congrats! I only saw you four days ago, but it feels as though it's been an eternity already. My baby, all grown up! I'm so proud of you for following your dreams. You and your cousin are so alike._

_I know you won't want me to nag you too much, but I just wanted to remind you that you can always visit home whenever you want. Jared, your uncle, and I will all be so glad to see you! And of course, if I'm being a bit smothering, you can feel free to tell me. I'm your family; you won't hurt my feelings. I also wanted to remind you that if you ever realize you've forgotten anything, you can most certainly write to ask us for it! Or, of course, you could text, if that's easier. But if it's a long list, I would much prefer a letter! Your old aunt can't handle these modern gadgets._

_My dear, I just can't say enough how proud of you I am. My, I'm tearing up even as I write. I love you so much, Iris, and I hope you have the time of your life at Brightfire._ "

Iris smiled as she read, feeling a teensy bit homesick. Aunt Nam was always so supportive, and she missed being around her every day. Iris folded the letter and put it on her desk, making a note to herself to reply to it when she had a little more to say. She wanted to have plenty to write Nam about, and there wasn't much she could think of at the moment.

Iris looked out the window. It was starting to get a little dark out, and she knew the dining halls would be closed within a couple of hours. She went out to the common room.

"Do either of you want to get dinner with me?" Iris asked.

June and Nadia both looked up from their cards. June put her hand facedown on the table. "Of course! We were coming to a standstill, anyway."

"Give me just a moment!" Nadia put her cards down as well and disappeared into her room. She returned a few moments later, donning a grey cable-knit cardigan.

"Shall we go, then?" Iris asked.

Nadia thrust her fist in the air. "To the dining hall!" she cheered.

~0~0~0~0~0~

A few minutes later, the trio found themselves in one of the campus's four dining halls. There was a wide array of food, and Iris noted with amusement that there were even some students who were having cereal for dinner. They each grabbed a plate of food and found a table near a window.

Iris was about to begin eating when she noticed the Dragon she'd met in the garden earlier, sitting a few tables away and chatting with some friends.

"Garden boy," she said quietly.

Nadia turned to follow Iris's gaze, and June looked up at her. "What?"

Iris glanced at her. "I met someone in the garden earlier, and I forgot to ask his name. I'd go over, but he's talking to friends right now..."

"The Dragon?" Nadia asked, nodding her head at the boy in question.

"Mm-hm," Iris confirmed. "Do you know his name?"

"I wasn't paying much attention during the director's speech," Nadia confessed.

"Yeah, you were too busy trying to make me laugh," June said, nudging Nadia in the ribs. She shrieked and started laughing, trying to get June back. After a moment, she gave up, relenting to the length of June's arms holding her away.

"So how come you want to get his name? Do you liiiiike him?" Nadia asked, turning back to Iris.

She threw her napkin at Nadia. "I literally only just met him today, you gossip. Go find someone else to talk about." _Besides, there's someone else who's caught my eye,_ Iris thought.

Nadia simply dodged the napkin and laughed. She was about to return the favor with her mashed potatoes when she froze, her eyes going wide and a grin inching onto her face. She pointed behind Iris.

Iris turned and saw the boy from the garden standing directly behind her. She stood suddenly, and he waved at all of them shyly.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," he said.

"Only a barrage of mashed potatoes. Honestly, it's for the better that you came when you did," June said solemnly. She grinned. "Do you need something?"

"I was actually wondering if I could join you," he said. His hand went to the back of his neck in a self-conscious gesture. "The people I was sitting with before left for their dorms, and I've been trying to make more friends. Right now I have about two and a half, and Ethan keeps telling me I need to make more." He laughed a little, no doubt nervous.

Nadia gestured to the seat beside Iris. "We've got a free chair! As long as you swear allegiance to me in my mashed potato war. Iris threw a napkin at me and I need help to exact revenge."

He laughed as he sat, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Appealing though mashed potatoes are, I think I'd have to go for Team Napkin. It's the easier of the two to clean up afterward."

Nadia pretended to gasp, clutching her heart. "Betrayal! June, fortify the battlements! Load the cannons! This means _war_."

June rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide her smile. "For once I think I can't take your side here. Napkins mean a trip to the trash can. Mashed potatoes mean a trip to the laundry room, and _that_ you have to pay for. Sorry, babe, but this time you're on your own."

Nadia gasped again, this time more dramatic. "Betrayed by my own right hand! This is it...this is the end for me. There's no recovery from this. Iris, it was an honor sharing a dorm with you...and you, Mr. Dragon, it was a pleasure to meet you...but this is the end...for me..." And with that, Nadia went limp on the table, her tongue lolling out cartoonishly.

Iris laughed. She had almost held it together, but Nadia's "play dead" had pushed her over the edge. June and the boy joined her, and soon after Nadia as well, unable to keep up the pretense without smiling anymore.

"That was wonderful," he said. "You should join the drama club. They could use someone with your skills. And my name is Terran, by the way, not Mr. Dragon. What are your names?"

"I'm Nadia, and this is June and Iris. I just might check out the drama club, now that you mention it," she said, her eyes flashing under the light. June saw the look and smiled.

"You would definitely thrive there," she laughed.

Nadia smiled, then turned back to Terran. "So, what's it like, being a Dragon?" she inquired.

June elbowed her. "Nadia, you can't just turn this into an interrogation!"

"I was curious!"

Terran laughed. "It's alright. I like being a Dragon, personally. I think it's cool. I have a whole other form, and I'm part of an ancient race, and, well...if it weren't for being a Dragon, I probably would have gone into archaeology or something. At least this way I can explore Draconic ruins myself!"

"Ooh, do you get along with other Dragons? I've heard that there have been some differences in past generations." Nadia put both her hands on the table, looking at Terran intently.

"You really are just a gossip," Iris laughed.

"We get along well. We've all heard the horror stories of Dragons abandoning each other in the past, and I'm glad to say that it's because of personal differences. We all take communication very seriously, so fortunately if anything ever comes up, it'll get sorted out pretty quickly."

"So what are they like, anyway?" June asked. "I haven't met them myself, so all I have to go on is you and what Iris has mentioned."

"Iris mentioned us?" Terran said, glancing at her. He grinned, likely recounting her near-fall from the apple tree. She went red at the memory herself. Not her finest moment.

"Just that I'd met you, and what my initial impressions of you all were. I said you guys were nice!" Except the rude one, but she didn't feel it was necessary to tack that on right in front of Terran.

"Except the rude boy," Nadia said, a chaotic glint in her eye. June elbowed her, but she just giggled as Iris glared at her.

Thankfully, Terran didn't seem surprised. "You're probably talking about Aiji. Yeah, he can be a lot at first. I wasn't sure about him when I first met him either, but once you get to know him, he's a really great guy. Truthfully, he's just afraid to let anyone in. Give him another chance?"

Iris glanced at Terran and just couldn't say no. Aiji was clearly an important friend, and likely was one of the two that he had mentioned earlier. They had known each other for a while, and Iris had only met Aiji on one occasion. There was probably a lot more to Aiji than the first impression.

"Alright. Everyone has bad days, right? I'm sure orientation day was stressful. Yeah, water under the bridge. Next time I see him I'll be sure to be nice!"

"Thanks so much," Terran smiled. 

From there they lapsed into small talk, and Terran excused himself once he'd finished his meal. Nadia and June left next, with an assurance from Iris that she'd catch up to them.

She grabbed a cup of green tea, reveling in the warmth it brought to her stomach. It had been chilly lately. As she sipped her tea, she looked out at the other students in the dining hall. Everyone here was working towards _something._

She really was starting a new chapter in her life, wasn't she?

With a smile, Iris placed the mug in the dish return and left the dining hall, bracing herself against the chilly night air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, hopefully I won't break the notes this time. Hello! Thank you for reading Dragonrise. I've been working on this story since the summer before my freshman year of high school, and I'm now going into my junior year of college. It's been a trip!! I'm hoping that, by publishing the story here, it will incentivise me to write more and to write more often. This is my baby, and I thank you for taking the time to read it. More to come soon! Until then, have a nice day :D


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning Iris was woken by the sound of her alarm clock. She reached over and shut it off, yawning and stretching. She glanced out the window. It was a nice day, though it looked like it was going to prove to be a little cold. Stretching once more, she got up and went over to her closet, rustling for the clothes she was going to wear that day. In a few minutes she was dressed. She grabbed her books and walked down the hall to the stairs and took them at a mildly dangerous skip, excited for her first day of classes.

Once she got outside, she was grateful for her choice in clothing. It was one of those chilly early-fall mornings. Despite the cold, the weather put a smile on her face. She shivered, then set off at a brisk walk toward her first class.

It was a class that she was only mildly interested in, but one that she knew she had to do well in if she were to become a knight. It was a political history class, covering movements roughly 200 years before the Dark War up until 100 years after. In other words, things that had happened over 800 years ago.

Iris would never understand how it had been Jared's favorite class.

She climbed the steps to the building and walked through the open door. Room numbers ascended to her left, and descended to her right. 103. She turned right. She came upon a classroom with an open door and several people already inside. She glanced around and spotted an open seat near the windows, but far enough away that it wouldn't be distracting. She made her way over and dropped her bag on the desk.

"Hey, you're that girl from orientation day, right?" a voice said to her right. She glanced and almost froze when she saw the Dragon who'd told her off - Aiji, if she remembered correctly. His mouth was in a slight frown, but it seemed to just be his neutral expression. "Right?" he asked again.

"Yeah," Iris said, not sure how to approach this interaction. She had promised Terran she'd try to start over with Aiji next time she saw him, but she just couldn't seem to get a read on him.

"Listen, I just wanted to say...I'm sorry for being so harsh. I ran into some old...classmates and it put me in a bad mood. I didn't mean to take it out on you."

Iris just stared at him for a second. Of all things, she hadn't expected an apology. "It's fine," she said. "I mean...it wasn't a great first impression, but I'm glad you weren't trying to be mean."

He chuckled a little under his breath. "Yeah...after you left, Ethan told me off. Made me promise that next time I saw you, I'd apologize."

Oh. "That's fine," Iris said. She turned back to her bag, taking out her notebook. Of course he wasn't apologizing just for her sake.

"I'm not saying this just because Ethan told me to, though," he added, sensing the shift. "I was...an ass. That was a sucky way to be welcomed to the school. So...I'm sorry."

"Oh...I appreciate it," Iris said, caught off guard. Maybe she had been a little too quick to judge. Still, she wasn't quite sure how to feel about Aiji. She tried to think of something else to say, but she came up blank. Eventually they both turned back to their own desks and waited for the teacher to arrive.

Five minutes after the time class was supposed to start, a middle-aged man with long, grey hair and large, round glasses hurried into the room, carrying a messenger bag full of papers.

"My apologies, students, I'm not usually so late. First day, no less," he said, setting the bag down on the table at the head of the room. He cleared his throat. "I'm professor Belbury, and in this class I will be teaching you the intricacies of the old Imperial political movements. Does anybody have any tidbits of knowledge they'd like to share, to start us off?"

A student at the back of the class raised their hand, and Belbury pointed to them. "The institution of a council ruling under the Emperor or Empress only came into play about 10 years before the war; many people theorize that the distribution of power is what gave the Shades a chance to revolt."

"Very good, very good," Belbury said, writing it on the board, "though, let's be sure to remember that's only a theory. Very little is known about what drove the Dark Princess to rally her forces. But yes, the council-" He stopped, looking at Aiji, who'd raised his hand. Now that attention was on him, however, Aiji's hand faltered. "Yes, Ozara?"

"Never mind," he said. "It's not relevant."

Belbury looked at him quizzically, but continued. "As I was saying, the council was indeed organized only ten years before the way, or about 700 years ago, give or take a few. It was instituted because Empress Calura claimed that her advisors were more adept at handling internal affairs than she was. As a result, she formed the first official council under her name. Since then, the system has worked so well that no one has wanted to disband it."

~0~0~0~0~0~

"What was it you were going to ask during class?" Iris asked as they headed out the door. Aiji turned to her, looking surprised.

"Oh, well...I translate old documents in my free time, and I've actually read a lot on the Dark Princess's motivations. There's a wide range and I suspect most of it is speculation, but...I didn't say it because it would've sounded like I was nitpicking."

"There's no other reason?" Iris asked. From Aiji's tone, it sounded like there was something he wasn't saying.

He glanced at her, silent a moment before continuing. "I don't think her reasons were malicious." He looked down at his schedule. "I have to head to my next class right away. I'll see you on Wednesday, then."

"See you then," Iris called after him. Perplexed, she turned and headed to her next class as well.

~0~0~0~0~0~

By the end of the day, Iris was exhausted. The teachers of the knight classes were nothing if not ruthless, and it dawned on her why Pre-War Politics was Jared's favorite class. _At least you weren't physically exerting yourself in that one._

She dropped her bag beside her bed and dropped herself face first onto the covers. She groaned into her bed, the sound muffled. She'd had a good first day; it was more the dread of classes to come that was making her groan. She'd had a class in swordsmanship and she knew it would only be a matter of time until she needed to stock the freezer with ice packs. For the first day they had only drilled positions, but the teacher had made it clear that they would be sparring by the end of the month.

Iris dragged herself from her bed and set her homework out on the desk. It wasn't much, but it was better to get it done immediately before it piled up. She'd wait until after dinner to start it, but setting it up beforehand would make it easier.

She had just finished getting out all her books and materials when June knocked on her door, peeking her head inside. "We're about to get dinner, do you want to join us again tonight?"

"Yeah, sure, Iris said, opening her textbook. She grabbed a light jacket and followed her and Nadia out of the dorm.

"So how were classes?" Iris asked them as they walked to the dining hall.

"They were alright," Nadia shrugged. "I just had generic classes today."

"I liked my literature class," June offered. "You don't hear a lot about pre-war stuff at this point, but there's a lot of interesting stuff from back then. There's this one genius playwright that's hard to understand now, but it you rewrite his works in a modern dialect, there are some parts that are actually pretty funny."

"I had my first swordsmanship class today," Iris groaned. "It was fun, but my professor made it pretty clear that it was only going to get harder. They really mean business."

"Well, they have to mean business for knights, right?" Nadia said. "The knights are the best of the best, after all. You sure you're up for it?"

"Yeah!" Iris nodded emphatically. "It's been my dream since my cousin became a knight. He's like a brother to me, since I was raised by my aunt and uncle. But yes, I'm prepared to do what it takes to become a knight. Even if I have to work myself haggard, I'll keep up with it!"

"You sure are admirable, Iris," June laughed as she opened the door of the dining hall. They walked inside, grabbed food, and sat down at the same table from the night before.

"Iris! Could I sit with you?" a voice called.

Iris looked around for the source of the voice, only to be surprised to see Ethan walking towards their table.

"Oh! Uh, sure, we're not saving any seats for anyone or anything," she said.

Ethan smiled at her as he sat down. She looked away, feeling her face heat up a little. "Thanks," he said. "Terran is working on a research project and Aiji doesn't eat at the dining halls, so I was lonely. I appreciate you letting me sit here." He turned to June and Nadia. "I don't believe we've met; what are your names?"

"June, and this is Nadia," June said. Nadia was too busy staring at Iris with wide eyes and a slowly growing grin to say anything.

Ethan smiled, seemingly oblivious. "It's nice to meet you two. Are you Iris's friends?"

"Roommates," June said, elbowing Nadia. "But I'd like to say friends, as well," she added, smiling at Iris.

Iris smiled to hide how flustered she was. "Yes, definitely!" She cursed herself for how high her voice was.

He grinned. "Glad to hear it. How are you all finding Brightfire?"

June was the first to speak up. "It's enormous!" she said. "I come from a little town in Burnset, so everything is big in comparison, but this place is just _huge_."

Ethan laughed. "Yeah, I tend to hear that a lot. Well, back in the day, it had to be big. There were a lot of Dragons when it was founded."

"It's such a shame that it's only the three of you," Iris said. "Dragons were such a majestic race."

Ethan nodded, then gasped as his eyes lit up. "Oh! Did you know that there are actually still dragons out in the wild? Not like me, but the creatures the Great Mage combined with humans to create us."

"Really? Have you ever run into one?"

"Oh, no, definitely not," Ethan laughed. "Other Dragons in the past have encountered them, but there's more than enough accounts that show they're extremely dangerous. They don't think the same way we do, and are extremely prideful. They'll kill over a small insult. No, I hope I don't have to deal with one. It would be quite the story, but I like my head on its shoulders, where it should be."

Iris laughed. "Yes, that's a good place for it to be, I'd say!"

Ethan smiled. The conversation continued and he simply listened as he ate, only chiming in here and there. Thankfully, Nadia saw fit to leave Iris alone, which was fortunate as she surely would have noticed Iris's many glances back at Ethan. When he laughed at Nadia's jokes, Iris felt her face flush at his smile. 

Eventually they were all done with their meals, and Ethan bid them goodbye and excused himself. As soon as he was out of sight and earshot, Nadia rounded on Iris.

"You liiiike him, don't you?" she crooned. Iris covered her face and pushed Nadia away.

"Shut up, shut up," she said, laughing despite herself. She was sure she was visibly red by now.

Nadia cackled. "I understand now, you don't like Terran, you like Ethan! Girl, you should make a move or something! That boy is beautiful, he's bound to get asked out sooner or later."

"I hardly know him," Iris protested.

"You know him enough to blush like a kid with their first crush!" Nadia said. "Don't waste your chance!"

Iris sighed. "It'd be nice, but I think he's way out of my league. I'd rather just be able to say he's my friend."

To Iris's surprise, June tutted. "You say that now, but when he's going out with someone, it's going to break your heart. Trust me, Iris, you won't be happy if you just pine forever."

Iris turned to her. "I get it, but...don't rush me, okay? I'll keep you guys updated if you wanna know so bad, but it really is too early to say anything."

"I'm holding you to that, Iris," Nadia said as she picked up her plate. "You better keep us in the loop."

Iris laughed as they brought their plates to the dish return. "I will, I will!"

The three laughed as they headed to their dorm. Nadia and June elected to stay up a little longer and watch a show together, and Iris bid them goodnight, retreating to her room to do her homework.

Once it was complete, Iris went to bed that night with a smile. She listened to the tranquil sounds of the cool outdoors through her window, knowing that whatever came tomorrow, she'd be able to handle it. She had her friends by her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully I haven't broken the notes this time!! Hello, thank you so much for reading to chapter 3 of Dragonrise!! Things are about to get a little interesting, so stay tuned for next chapter! If you have any feedback, I'd love to hear it. Or just praise, praise is nice too, haha. Anyways, have a good day!


	4. Chapter 4

Iris woke up that night with a start. Something was off. She listened in the dark, but couldn't hear anything to tip her off. She sat up, aiming to investigate.

A hand pushing itself over her mouth.

Iris screamed, but the sound was muffled by the hand. She pulled at the hand with one of her own, and with the other she lashed out, trying to hit her assailant.

"Shh, quiet now. It's only me." Though the voice spoke familiarly, Iris had never heard it before. She shrieked behind the hand. "You don't recognize me, do you?" he said, a hint of sadness in his voice. "Well, that'll change soon enough. Come with me, I'll help you remember."

Before Iris could react, the intruder had slipped his arms behind her back and under her legs and scooped her up, taking her out of her room through her open window. She tried to grab the frame as she went through, yelling for June and Nadia, but he was too fast and too strong. Her hand ripped off, catching her nails on the way and making Iris cry out in pain.

"Who are you?" she demanded, writhing in an attempt to get free. There was no answer.

She screamed. The stranger dug his nails into Iris's arms and thighs, and she bit off the scream with a pained yelp. "Don't do that, Avrae. It's unbecoming." 

He walked at a quick yet easy pace, towards the road that led off campus through a thick forest. It would be easy for him to throw anyone off their trail in there, if anyone even noticed she was gone. She glanced around, hoping to see the headlights of cars, maybe flail and yell for help, but it was no use. No one was awake at this hour.

Iris tried to throw an elbow towards her attacker's face, but he dodged it and bit her arm in retaliation. "Don't you understand? The more you act out, the more pain you feel. This'll be a lot easier if you just calm down."

"Not another step," another, more familiar voice said behind them. Iris squirmed, trying to see who it was. The stranger stopped and turned.

It was the Dragons. All three of them, intimidating in the dim light, and all of them poised and ready to attack. 

She heard her attacker growl in the back of his throat. Without warning, he dumped her on her feet. He grabbed her arm and pulled her close, pressing three fingers beneath her jaw. She felt something run through her like an electric shock and jolted involuntarily, the world starting to spin beneath her feet.

"May we meet again in another life," he said, and ran off.

Iris was dimly aware of Ethan running by her to chase after the stranger, but it was all she could do to stay on her feet. It must have been a spell, she thought dimly. She felt so dizzy she thought she might pass out. She fell to her hands and knees, and for a moment, her world went black. When she came back to her senses, she was looking up at Terran. His usual kind look was gone, replaced now by one of sorrow.

"I'm sorry," he said, and stood up. She opened her mouth to ask him what he meant but before she could get any words out, he transformed in front of her.

It was the first time she'd seen a Dragon in their true form in real life. He was enormous compared to a normal human, and nothing short of intimidating. The most frightening thing about him at the moment, however, was the yellow-orange glow appearing in his chest.

 _Dragonfire._ One of the hottest substances known to humans. With such destructive power, the fact that Dragons had long worked for the Imperial army nearly went without saying. Iris hardly had any thoughts to spare for awe, however - with mounting horror, it became clear that the first was going to be aimed at her.

She was frozen. What had she done? Why was Terran about to kill her? Should she run? Should she stay put? The questions flew through Iris's mind. She watched as Terran reared, about to loose his fire on her.

She closed her eyes, waiting for the inferno.

It didn't come.

She opened her eyes to see another Dragon, serpentine in form, wrapped around Terran and holding him back. Terran was hissing in Draconian and struggling to break free, but for the moment he was trapped.

Iris didn't waste another second. She scrambled to her feet and sprinted away, her bare feet hitting the pavement hard as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

~0~0~0~0~0~

"What in the Mage's name was that, Aiji?" Terran shouted once Aiji released him. Iris was long gone by now. Aiji transformed back and Terran did the same. They were both panting with exertion from the struggle. "You know as well as I do who Iris is. Letting her go was borderline treason."

Aiji shook is head. "Something doesn't add up," he said. At this point they could see Ethan in the distance, but Terran carried on.

"You think she _wasn't_? You think she was another Dragon? Give me a break. We're the last ones and we all know it, Aiji. She's the Dark Princess."

"I never said she wasn't," Aiji told him calmly. "I just said something doesn't add up. Immediate execution is a bit much, isn't it? She could be locked up somewhere, or even trained alongside us."

"It's the best way to ensure everyone's safety," Terran said, reciting the monotone words that had been spit back at them every time they'd question the order. Ethan walked up beside them, listening to the argument.

"Well, burn the best way!" Aiji shouted. "Are we really justified in killing one person who has never made any hostile moves or threats against the Empire just because they _might_ choose the dark over the light?"

Finally Ethan decided to cut in. "Maybe not," he said, "but if she joins the Dark Ensemble, there's no doubt she'll fully awaken, perhaps even with all her memories of her first life intact. If that happens, there's no way that the Empire will be able to stop her again. In the Dark War, we had an _entire army_ of Dragons. Now there are only three. Tell me, Aiji, who has the advantage here: a trio of Dragons with mediocre training paired with knights who have never seen that kind of combat, or an army specializing in ancient sorcery that's been trained their entire lives to bring our downfall?"

Aiji was silent. Ethan had a point, several good ones, in fact, but that didn't make him feel any better. If anything, it made him more agitated.

"I still don't think this is right," he insisted. Ethan sighed.

"Fine. You can find her and try to talk it out. But Aiji, if you're wrong about her, if she kills you, then I swear she gets no second chances. I'll track her down and kill her myself."

"It won't come to that," Aiji promised.

~0~0~0~0~0~

Iris had been running for at least ten minutes. Her lungs felt as though they were on fire, each breath shredding her throat, but she didn't dare stop. She'd left the street several minutes ago, now running through the underbrush in her pajamas. She was sure she had cuts all over her arms and legs by now, but she couldn't stop yet.

Eventually she came to a tree. It was an old, sturdy tree, with thick branches that would easily support her weight. The trunk looked relatively easy to climb, though the rough bark made her a little apprehensive. Being off the ground sounded a lot safer than continuing to run, however, and with that she began her ascent up the tree.

Though it was autumn, the leaves hadn't started to turn yet, a fact for which she was grateful. It gave her cover from both the skies and most angles from the ground. Leaning back against the trunk, she allowed herself to finally catch her breath.

Twenty minutes later, she heard the sound of someone walking through the woods. She froze, staying still and silent. Maybe they hadn't seen her yet.

"Iris?" Aiji's voice called softly. She didn't answer. "I want to talk. I don't want to hurt you. I want to keep you from _getting_ hurt. Please, just come out and talk to me."

"How can I know you're not going to hurt me?" she asked.

Aiji jumped, startled a little by the sudden voice. "I don't think there's any sort of guarantee I could give you other than my word. If that means anything to you, though, I'll gladly give it. Just...let me help."

Iris was quiet a moment as she thought over what to do. Should she trust Aiji? It seemed sensible in this moment...after all, if she was wanted, running away forever wasn't exactly an option. "How did you find me?" she asked, trying to buy a little more time for her decision. She hadn't tried very hard to cover her trail, but she didn't think the Dragons were such good trackers that they could do it in the dark.

"Blood," Aiji said. "You cut your foot on something when you ran away and every few feet there was a drop of it. Dragons tend to have sharper senses, so i could smell it. It got stronger once you got into the woods. You're...you're hurt pretty bad."

Almost in response, Iris's various cuts and scrapes twinged as he said it. She tried to ignore them. "Why do you want to help me?"

Aiji looked down. "Killing you is...it's one of our set orders," he said. "One of the first things we're told by the council. But...like I told you yesterday, I don't think the Dark Princess was malicious. And I believe that you're not malicious either. I don't know if I can guarantee that you'll live, but I want to do everything I possibly can to get the council to lift their order on your execution."

"Will you kill me if I refuse to go with you?"

"It may not be by my hand, but one of us will."

"I may die anyway if I go with you to the council."

"Yes."

 _At least he's up front about it,_ Iris thought. After a long moment she slowly began to descend the tree. It was much harder going down than it was going up, and at one point her foot slipped. Her thigh slid along the back of the trunk, cutting open a fresh gash before she managed to catch herself. She squeezed her eyes shut and held back a whimper of pain, taking a moment before continuing her descent. Finally she stood on the forest floor, facing Aiji.

"So...what now?" she asked.

"First we get those cuts treated," Aiji said, motioning to several wounds that had already begun to scab. "I can take you to my house for that. You can sleep the rest of the night there if you want, too. We can't make for the capital until daytime."

Iris nodded. "Which way?"

"I was actually planning to fly you there. I can only assume your feet are just as cut up as the rest of you and I don't want you to make it any worse. Are you alright with that?"

"I don't really get that much of a say in the matter, do I?" Iris mumbled.

Aiji gave her a grim nod. "I can only hope that'll change after tomorrow." He transformed, and suddenly standing before Iris was a long, ash-white Dragon. She hadn't gotten a good look when she'd seen him before, but up close she could see that rather than the scales that most Dragons were said to have, Aiji had fur. "Climb on my back behind my front legs and hold on however you need."

Iris did as he said, straddling his back. In the back of her mind she guessed it must have felt like riding a horse, but she had no experience to compare it to. The gash on her thigh twinged as she set it against Aiji's fur. After a moment of hesitation, Iris dug her fingers into Aiji's fur, not quite feeling secure with just her legs.

"You ready?" he asked, turning his head to look back at her. In his Dragon form, that wasn't hard to do with his long neck. Iris nodded. She imagined she must have looked white-faced and terrified, but Aiji didn't remark on it. He faced upward again, and in that instant Iris felt the muscles in Aiji's body tense up. A second later, he sprung forward and they were in the air. They cleared the trees in a matter of seconds. If Iris hadn't been so scared, she would have called the view breathtaking.

After a few minutes of flying, the scenery began to look familiar again. They were back on campus, or at least very close to it. Aiji started to fly a little lower, and Iris spotted a small house that must have been Aiji's. As they got closer to the ground, she saw two figures in front of the house. Ethan and Terran, no doubt waiting for them.

Aiji touched down right in front of them, and Iris felt cold as she saw their expressions. Though she hadn't gotten to know them very well, she had considered Ethan and Terran friends. Now, they were looking at her with a mix of apprehension and caution.

"So what's the verdict?" Ethan asked.

Aiji crouched so Iris could dismantle easily. She did, and he transformed back. "We're taking her to Angorith tomorrow. We're going to try to get the council to lift the execution order."

"How do we do that? I'm all for it, but...this order spans over three hundred years. Is it going to be that easy?" Terran glanced at Iris, and for a moment she saw a flash of sadness in his eyes.

"I hope to the Mage it'll be that easy," Aiji said, shaking his head. "But I doubt it will be. I have some ideas I want to fill you all in on. But first, Iris needs to get some medical attention...and some sleep. Tomorrow will be harder on her than any of us."

Aiji gestured her forward and into the house. It was a quaint affair, simply done and giving the impression that its occupant didn't care much for more than the essentials. He led her through the living room, down the hall, and to a door on the right.

"This is the guest bedroom. My room is across the hall. Bathroom is the door next to the kitchen. Go ahead and sit down on the bed; I'll be right back with some bandages and disinfectant." He left down the hall.

Iris didn't sit down right away. She stared at the window. It was low to the ground and open a few inches, but looked as if it could open much farther. She walked over, shut it, and locked it. When she pulled up on it again, it didn't budge. Feeling a little more secure, she walked back over to the bed and sat down.

It wasn't long before Aiji came back carrying a small metal box that Iris assumed to be a first-aid kit. He knelt on the floor in front of Iris and opened it, taking out adhesive bandages, a roll of gauze, and alcohol wipes.

Iris's cuts ached at the sight of it.

"This is gonna hurt," Aiji said, making no qualms about what was about to occur. He opened the alcohol wipes and pressed one to the gash on Iris's thigh. She couldn't help it - she yelped in pain. The adrenaline that had accompanied her through the creation of the injuries was long gone. "Sorry," Aiji mumbled, but he was more focused on the task at hand than on Iris. After the wound was wiped clean, he opened one of the larger bandages and pressed it over the wound. Next he moved on to the cuts on her legs and feet, wrapping them in gauze once disinfected. Her scuffed hands got a similar treatment, but her arms only needed a couple small adhesive bandages.

"I think that'll take care of it for now," Aiji said. He closed the kit and stood up. "Do you need anything before I leave you?"

Iris shook her head. "I think I'm fine," she mumbled.

Aiji nodded. "I'll be right across the hall if you need anything during the night. Ethan or Terran should be in the living room. Try to get some sleep."

Iris watched as Aiji left the room once more. Once he was gone, she got up to check the window a second time, pulling hard. It was still locked. She climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin.

~0~0~0~0~0~

The next morning, Iris woke to a gentle knock on the door. She glanced out the window. The outside was shrouded in a grey mist. It must have only been just after sunrise. 

"Hey, it's time to get going. You awake?" Aiji's voice called through the wood.

"Yeah," Iris called back. "Just a moment." She slid out of bed, padding across the floor with bare feet. She opened the door and looked up at Aiji. "Would it be possible for me to get some shoes and proper clothes before we go?"

He looked down, seeming to realize for the first time that Iris was not, in fact, properly dressed to go anywhere. "Let me see what the others say." He stepped back and walked down the hall, conversing with the others in the living room. Iris walked closer, not sure if she had been meant to follow.

After a moment, Aiji came back through the hall to her. "Where is your dorm again?"

"North Hall," Iris answered. Then, absently, "My window's probably still open."

"Alright, let's go over and then we'll meet Ethan and Terran back over here, then we get going. Sound good?"

"Thank you."

~0~0~0~0~0~

A few minutes later, the two were standing in front of North Hall. Iris stared up at it.

"If I go in through the front, my roommates might hear me, she said. Aiji looked down at her, his brow furrowed. "I don't want to explain to them what happened."

"Do you want to actually see if your window is still open?"

"Mm," Iris said, nodding and walking toward the side of the building. Aiji followed. She wasn't sure if it felt more like he was keeping her safe or keeping her from running away. Probably the latter, but after the events of the night, his presence was comforting.

As they came around the side of the building, Iris easily identified her window. The early morning breeze was slight, but it was enough to pull the light curtain out of her window and have it fluttering in the wind.

Getting into the window took a little more effort than Iris expected, but soon enough she was inside and rummaging for proper clothes. Aiji stood at the sill, waiting for her. She pulled out a warm pair of pants, a tee, and a hoodie. She glanced at Aiji, still staring at her.

"Um," she said hesitantly, holding up her clothes. Aiji started, finally realizing what she was asking, and turned around.

She slipped out of her pajamas and pulled on the clothes. She tapped on Aiji's shoulder.

"I have to get my shoes from beside the front door. I'll be right back."

"Okay. Come right back."

Iris nodded. She walked over to her door and opened it, quietly, so quietly. Across and down the hall, Nadia and June's door was still shut. She padded across the floor and picked up a beat-up pair of sneakers from the mat next to the door. She snuck back into her room, closing her door ever so quietly. It clicked in the latch, but didn't make a sound aside from that. Aiji helped her back through the window. Once on the ground, Iris slipped her shoes on, and then they were off.

~0~0~0~0~0~

"Hey," Iris said quietly as they made their way back to Aiji's house.

"Hm." He glanced at her, waiting for her to continue.

"What are you going to say to the council? To...to convince them."

Aiji stared ahead. "Truthfully, I don't know yet. I have dozens of ideas in my head, but I'm going to talk with the others on the way. Maybe I could get them to speak for you as well. The more of us vouch for you, the better your chances are. One Dragon can be put aside as a rogue idyllicyst, but all three of us is a different matter."

Iris hummed. "I'm just worried, I guess. It...doesn't even seem real."

"I know what you mean."

They turned a corner and Aiji's house came into view, Ethan and Terran waiting outside for them. Iris tensed up. Though they no longer looked visibly worried, their expressions were still guarded around her. It was such a strange shift from the easy-going friends she'd gotten to know.

"Time to go?" Terran asked.

Aiji nodded. "It would probably be best if Iris rode on one of you. I'm not as sturdy as you two and she seemed uncomfortable flying last night."

Ethan stepped forward and transformed. "I'm fine with that," he said. Terran transformed as well.

Aiji turned to Iris and nodded, gesturing to Ethan. "Climb aboard," he said.

Ethan crouched down, bringing his neck and shoulders close enough to the ground for Iris to climb on top. She definitely felt more secure than she had on Aiji's back, with broader shoulders and wing joints preventing the possibility of slipping back.

Iris flinched as Terran took to the skies beside her, beating his wings to gain altitude. Aiji transformed and took off as well. Iris tightened her knees and hugged herself closer to Ethan, bracing for takeoff. She was glad she had, as when Ethan leapt into the air, it was a more powerful jump than Aiji had taken last night and she yelped as she felt herself slide back a few inches.

"You alright?" Ethan asked into the wind, beating his wings steadily to catch up with the others.

Iris had a hard time finding her voice, but soon she was able to respond. "Yeah," she said. "Just startled."

Ethan gave her a small nod and turned his attention to his comrades. He spoke again, but this time in Draconian. A conversation ensued between the three of them that Iris could not follow. After a few minutes, she leaned down and let herself lay against Ethan's neck. The sun had hardly begun to climb and already she was exhausted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading chapter four of Dragonrise! This is one of my favorite chapters. I haven't written much past this point, so chapters will be a little slower to come out from here on as I work from the outline. Special thanks to ADuckThief for catching an extremely embarrassing typo!! ^_^;


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